andy reagan only the interesting stuff

Desert canyons to an oasis

Challis

It was another long day through the desert to Challis, with roads that disappeared into the horizon.  The whole day we battled massive headwind, with one gradual climb and a great descent.  By far the coolest part of the day was the Grand View Canyon that we passed through.  Approaching the canyon it looked like we were going to run straight into a mountain, but actually descended through it and the views were epic. We stayed four miles outside of town, up a big hill, and they Living Waters Retreat Center which was like an Oasis in the desert.  Before climbing up there, Mark and I waited for Zach and got some good calzones in town.  When we got there, next to the stream, I pitched my hammock and took one of the best naps ever.

Lunch below the second highest peak in Idaho, we passed the highest later

Entering the Grand View Canyon

The Atomic City

Arco

The town is famous as the first to be lit by atomic energy, and oh boy do they pride themselves on that.  We came in to catch the first night of their annual Atomic Days celebration.  On the way there, we passed and took a tour of EBR-1, the first power-generating nuclear reactor in the world.  The whole day biking was through desert, and some buttes, and is where the Idaho National Laboratory is located where they do all the nations nuclear research (over 50 test reactors or something).  That's where most everyone in Arco and Idaho Falls work.  Coming into town, we stopped our third pickle joint on the trip, this one being the "Pickle Place" for atomic burgers.  They made their own seasoning, and the beef was local somehow, one of the best burgers I've had on the trip.  Also their high school, Butte, were the pirates.  Their sign read "Home of the Butte Pirates" hahaha.

Idaho Falls Build Day

Build Day in Idaho Falls

We worked with the local Habitat for Humanity, which is getting larger and to aid in their expansion goal of building more than one house a year to aid affordable housing in Idaho Falls, they are focusing on expanding the ReStore as a source of funding.  We spent the day fixing up the new building that they acquired, which was a VAST improvement to the current one.  There was a TV crew there (I don't know the link to the video) but we got to watch ourselves on the news later that night which was cool.

For dinner, the pastor had us over to his house for a cookout.  He had the best set up for a cookout I think I've ever seen...it was perfect with a patio, huge grills and serving places, and it was an awesome meal.  I think I ate three burgers haha.  And when we were walking through his garage to leave, and gawking at his PERFECTly mint 1965 Mustang, he gave Mark, Dave, Jesse and I a ride back to the church in it! The only modification is a hookup for his mp3 player, which he filled with 60's music and leaves in the car.  That was awesome.  And below that, I got the YAWYD stem caps in the mail from my parents!!